Extraction of matrine from Sophora flavescens Ait. and evaluation of its inhibitory effects on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-2 cells

Abstract The present study investigated the extraction and purification technology of matrine from Sophora flavescens Ait. and the inhibitory effects of matrine on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) CNE-2 cells. The matrine was extracted from Sophora flavescens Ait. by decocting using ethanol-aqueous solution as the solvent, followed by purification using ion exchange resin adsorption. The extraction and purification conditions were investigated. The effects of matrine on growth, cell apoptosis and cycle of CNE-2 cells and expressions of Bac-2 and caspase-3 protein in cells were detected. Results showed that, the optimal extraction and purification technologies of matrine from Sophora flavescens Ait. were obtained, under which the purity of matrine was 81.56%. Matrine could obtain inhibit the growth of CNE-2 cells, promote the cell apoptosis, and arrest most cells in G0/G1 phase. In addition, after treated matrine, the relative expression level of Bcl-2 protein in CNE-2 cells was decreased, and the expression level of Caspase-3 protein was increased. In conclusion, matrine has inhibitory effects on human NPC CNE-2 cells. The mechanism may be related to its down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein and up-regulation of Caspase-3 protein expression.摘要 本研究探究了苦参（Sophora flavescens Ait.）中苦参碱（matrine）的提取纯化工艺，以及苦参碱对人鼻咽癌（NPC）CNE-2细胞的抑制作用。本研究采用乙醇水溶液为溶剂，通过煎煮法从苦参中提取苦参碱，随后借助离子交换树脂吸附法完成纯化，并对提取与纯化工艺条件进行了系统考察。通过实验检测了苦参碱对CNE-2细胞增殖、细胞凋亡与细胞周期的影响，以及细胞内B细胞淋巴瘤因子2（Bcl-2）和半胱氨酸天冬氨酸蛋白酶3（Caspase-3）的蛋白表达水平。 实验结果表明，本研究确定了苦参碱的最优提取纯化工艺，在此工艺条件下苦参碱纯度可达81.56%。苦参碱可显著抑制CNE-2细胞增殖，促进细胞凋亡，并将多数细胞周期阻滞于G0/G1期。此外，经苦参碱处理后，CNE-2细胞内Bcl-2蛋白的相对表达水平显著下调，而Caspase-3蛋白的表达水平显著上调。 综上，苦参碱对人鼻咽癌CNE-2细胞具有增殖抑制活性，其作用机制可能与下调Bcl-2蛋白表达、上调Caspase-3蛋白表达密切相关。